Students’ perspectives on the 4/3/2 technique and self-assessment to improve English speaking fluency

Abstract

Understanding students’ perspectives and differentiating classroom practices based on student needs are considered effective educators’ primary purposes in improving the foreign language learning process. How teachers conduct and teach their classes significantly affects how students cope with their learning. For this reason, this phenomenological study aimed to identify the perspectives among 12 Ecuadorian ninth graders on the 4/3/2 technique and self-assessment used to improve their English-speaking fluency during a five-week class. The data were collected through interviews and visual narratives and analyzed using grounded theory. The results of the study show that the 4/3/2 technique presented three categories (I learned because I repeated; I increased my speaking speed and decreased word repetitions; I got nervous when I had to speak faster). Self-assessment presented two categories (I learned from my mistakes; We were aware of our progress, which motivated us). Thus, this study has shown the importance of identifying students’ perspectives on the two learning strategies used in class. By doing this, teachers can select the appropriate technique for that specific learning context based on the students’ perceptions and foreign language theories. Further research is still necessary for the Ecuadorian context to explore how students’ perspective on the teachers’ learning methodologies affect them, especially their emotions.

Formative assessment in K-12 English as a foreign language education: A systematic review

“…To some extent, teachers enhance students' SRL, but there is room for improvement. Dos Santos and Ramírez-ávila (2023) [ 20 ] × Ecuador Qualitative 12 Perception The 4/3/2 technique and self-assessment were used to improve students' English-speaking fluency during a five-week class. Lam (2019) [ 32 ] × Hong Kong (China) Mixed method 66 Literacy The teacher participants perceived that they had fundamental knowledge about classroom-based assessment more than the theories of reliability and validity.…”

“…Perception arises from teachers' and students' practices regarding formative assessment, which can be influenced by their beliefs. Nine studies focused on teachers' and students' perceptions of formative assessment in EFL education [ [19] , [20] , [21] , [22] , [23] , [24] , [25] , [26] , [27] ]. As per teachers' perceptions, formative assessment can positively impact students' self-regulated learning, motivation and reflective ability.…”

“…Self-assessment, peer assessments, feedback, portfolios and other tools considerably impact second language learners' performance, motivation and self-regulation abilities. Evidence from the literature indicates that peer assessment and self-assessment can improve students' critical thinking skills, learning performance and motivation while reducing English learning anxiety in different contexts, for example, in classrooms utilising spherical video-based virtual reality [ 42 ], in a group-oriented speaking and vocabulary class [ 43 ], in negotiation as a social practice in a writing class [ 44 ] and the 4/3/2 technique in an English-speaking class [ 20 ]. These findings suggest that appropriate techniques should be selected based on specific learning contexts.…”

Challenges and strategies in teaching speaking skills to the rural engineering students: A case study

“…Hence, it is discerned that students tend to adopt an e xamination-centric approach rather than pursuing language acquisition for communicative proficiency. Santos and Ramírez-Ávila (2023) examined 12 ninth grade participants in a study and posit that teachers should cultivate students' self -assessment capabilities to enable awareness of their learning errors. The researchers noted that participants displayed increased motivation to learn when they recognized improvements in their performance.…”

“…Teachers must consistently seek novel approaches for augmenting students' educational experiences by employing innovative pedagogical methods within the classroom to sustain the learning continuum. Nevertheless, a pivotal challenge confronting teachers pertains to the identification and implementation of effective strategies that facilitate students' comfort and proficiency in spoken language acquisition (Santos & Ramírez-Ávila, 2023). Frequently, what proves efficacious for one student may prove unsuitable for another, potentially yielding adverse effects on aspects such as students' emotional well-being (Méndez López & Bautista Tun, 2017).…”